Tetenal

[Rudeofus]

Does anyone know if Tetenal made the chemistry for Kodachrome?

AFAIK Tetenal took over manufacturing of Kodak's chems after Kodak's chapter 11 saga, when Champion no longer wanted to supply Kodak. This was well after Kodachrome was canned, therefore I would be surprised if Tetenal ever made Kodachrome chems.

 

[MattKing]

For most of Kodachrome's life, Kodak made the chemicals.
I expect that after it's production facilities were sold off to the new entity, Eastman Chemical Company, that entity probably made them on contract for Eastman Kodak.

 

[AgX]

In the past all major film manufacturers made the respective concentrates/powders for processing themselves. They were major chemical plants and blending and even synthezising was one of the easier tasks. At that volume filling was economic too.
In the beginning filling, labelling and boxing was still made by hand as a lot of other tasks related to film.

 

[CMoore]

I don't think there is a single theatre in the state of Iowa that still projects movies with film. Everything is distributed digitally. I'm not sure there is still a person in the theater who would have access to the "projection booth" modern cinema theatres are more akin to managing a website than an old theater.

I would like to see the actual numbers. I suppose there are still a significant number of "art houses" that project film, but I wouldn't think it amounts to one percent.

All I see in film credits is "digital intermediate" . The other huge point is the equipment for projecting and printing film isn't being manufactured that I know of? When Tarrentino released Hateful Eight in 70mm equipment was pieced together from ancient equipment to get a few working projectors.

It is amazing how fast the change occurred...isn't it.?
Like if Electric cars were in production 15 years ago, and now in 2019, there are (almost) no Gas Stations, no car lots that sold gas powered cars, and only a few people in each state (usa) that even knew how to repair gas cars.
I am not sure there has been an equivalent technology change.
Similar things i suppose.....Cars/Horses, Vinyl/CD, Tubes/Solid State.....but i am not sure there has been anythings as definitive as Film/Digital.
Perhaps i am romanticizing things a bit, because i am more involved with film.?
But i do not think so. Film was SO BIG and in so many arenas of Industry, Art and Hobby.
I am currently taking a beginning photo class (digital) at my local college. I have talked to many 20 Year olds that basically have no idea about film or how to load it into a camera. Most have no interest in it, and most just have no awareness of it.
Digital has been like a much more successful "Spanish Flu" of 1918. Film has almost been wiped out in a rather short span of time...it seems to me.

 

[cmacd123]

It is amazing how fast the change occurred...isn't it.?
Like if Electric cars were in production 15 years ago, and now in 2019, there are (almost) no Gas Stations,
Digital has been like a much more successful "Spanish Flu" of 1918. Film has almost been wiped out in a rather short span of time...it seems to me.

Movie studios really like digital as it eliminated the need to send out new $3000.00 film prints to every theatre every couple of weeks. It also put distribution on "DCP" units that will only work at the theatre that they are intended to be used in. Those cost about $300.00 and can have a different movie installed for the next round of showings.

To do that they have set up a system of "Virtual print fees" to force the Theatres to spend the 50K or so needed to install digital, and most of those agreements required the 35mm projectors be removed (and mostly scrapped) Sad thing is that the 35mm equipment tended to last 20 to 50 years with the odd module being updated. the digital units will probably have to be replaced in less than 10 years.

Unfortunatly as a side issue this took away a major market for makers of Photographic film. even if the blank print film for the theatres was only about 3 cents a foot, that was a LOT of feet of film used every month.

 

[AgX]

Film was SO BIG and in so many arenas of Industry, Art and Hobby.
....
Film has almost been wiped out in a rather short span of time...it seems to me.

Not quite. Film was on the decline in the printing industry already when still no consumer thought of digital photography. Next was the medical world.

 

[Arcadia4]

Article in emulsive today citing a german publication, claims attempts to restructure tetenal europe appear to have been unsuccessful -

“As reported by the online publication “imaging + foto-contact“, employees based at the company’s headquarters in Norderstedt, Germany were informed today that the company would be wound up and is expected to close doors on April 1 2019, after current production runs have been completed”.

If this is correct then its bad for employees and significant implications for product availability

 

[Cholentpot]

Is this the end of home C-41 kits?

 

[Martin Rickards]

Is this the end of home C-41 kits?

Depending where you are I suppose. In Europe, there is the Italian "alternative", Bellini, but their distribution, even within Europe, is patchy. For example, their Spanish distributor only offers minilab quantities and doesn't seem too keen on the amateur market.

 

[MattKing]

Is this the end of home C-41 kits?

More generally, what will happen with Kodak and Ilford black and white (and colour?) chemicals?

 

[Lachlan Young]

More generally, what will happen with Kodak and Ilford black and white (and colour?) chemicals?

The article states that there were multiple 'interested parties' but I'd guess that the sale as a going concern may have been incumbent on the company remaining as one piece. I'd not be surprised if various parts of the company re-emerge with some speed. The chemical manufacturing arm was only a relatively small part.

 

[Cholentpot]

More generally, what will happen with Kodak and Ilford black and white (and colour?) chemicals?

Well, I panic bought a c-41 kit off the FFP. At least I can develop 20 more color rolls if these kits are gone for good.

 

[Erik Petersson]

It must be possible to buy chemicals for C41 home development from Kodak, even in Europe, don't you think? Perhaps distribution will be a bit more expensive, but they will be brought here, right?

 

[Anon Ymous]

It must be possible to buy chemicals for C41 home development from Kodak, even in Europe, don't you think? Perhaps distribution will be a bit more expensive, but they will be brought here, right?

It's not really a matter of availability, but practicality. The volume and accordingly the price of a set of minilab chemicals from Kodak, or Fuji is far more than what the average hobbyist would buy. The bleach is easily the most expensive part, most people just won't shell out the cash.

 

[Erik Petersson]

So Kodak and Fuji only sell minilab quantities?
In Sweden, Rollei Digibase is also available as C-41 home development kit. And I found other manufacturers such as Film Photography Project and Unicolor after a web search, but they seem to based in USA.

 

[Anon Ymous]

IIRC, Fuji sells 5l kits as an absolute minimum. It makes sense if you have a decent quantity of film to process, but not for everyone. The digibase kit you mentioned is IMHO a good deal and basically Fuji chemicals.

E6 kit availability on the other hand is more problematic.

 

[Lionel1972]

If I were Kodak, I would step in and buy the photochemical branch of Tetenal, re-hire the personnel that has just been laid off. We need a simple use home E6 kit. This is very important for the future success of the new Ektachrome. As the owner of the home-based photo lab, I rely on Tetenal kits and Jobo processors to offer affordable C-41 and E-6 processing.

 

[Alan9940]

I just heard news that Tetenal has laid off most of their employees. They are still producing some product, but, at this point, it's not looking good. If they do close shop completely, this will be a huge blow to the analog community, IMO. Sad, sad news...

 

[Alan Johnson]

https://www.foma.cz/en/photomaterials
Appears Foma still make their own B/W chemicals so the supply of these is assured.

 

[Martin Rickards]

If I were Kodak, I would step in and buy the photochemical branch of Tetenal, re-hire the personnel that has just been laid off. We need a simple use home E6 kit. This is very important for the future success of the new Ektachrome. As the owner of the home-based photo lab, I rely on Tetenal kits and Jobo processors to offer affordable C-41 and E-6 processing.

Amateurs, especially those working in colour, are very much a small niche market for suppliers. What is worrying is that both the Adox and Rollei RA4 kits have been out of stock for some time. Coincidence?

 

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

ADOX is independant from Tetenal and will continue to offer the full range of b/w chemicals. We are also capable of manufacturing or refilling color chemistry in suitable kit sizes. This is a relatively small market and with Tetenal being our long standing partner for more than 25 years we have never done so. But if need is, we can start this and we can dsitribute all over Europe as you know. Let´s wait a little longer. The chemical business was just a part of TT´s activities and all we know at this point is that Tetenal as a whole will not continue.

 

[Berri]

Ma

ADOX is independant from Tetenal and will continue to offer the full range of b/w chemicals. We are also capable of manufacturing or refilling color chemistry in suitable kit sizes. This is a relatively small market and with Tetenal being our long standing partner for more than 25 years we have never done so. But if need is, we can start this and we can dsitribute all over Europe as you know. Let´s wait a little longer. The chemical business was just a part of TT´s activities and all we know at this point is that Tetenal as a whole will not continue.

I remember buying the 2.5L RA4 kit from fotoimpex. I hope you will make it available once again.

I am quite worried about this situation as it might affect the success of ektachrome.

Here in Italy I can easily buy E6 in one liter kit from Bellini as well as C41 and RA4 (5L) but I would be really sorry to see this great company go, all my sympathy to the workers being laid off

 

[Martin Rickards]

Ma

I remember buying the 2.5L RA4 kit from fotoimpex. I hope you will make it available once again.

I am quite worried about this situation as it might affect the success of ektachrome.

Here in Italy I can easily buy E6 in one liter kit from Bellini as well as C41 and RA4 (5L) but I would be really sorry to see this great company go, all my sympathy to the workers being laid off

Have you got a link to your Italian retailer?

 

[Erik Petersson]

ADOX is independant from Tetenal and will continue to offer the full range of b/w chemicals. We are also capable of manufacturing or refilling color chemistry in suitable kit sizes. This is a relatively small market and with Tetenal being our long standing partner for more than 25 years we have never done so. But if need is, we can start this and we can dsitribute all over Europe as you know. Let´s wait a little longer. The chemical business was just a part of TT´s activities and all we know at this point is that Tetenal as a whole will not continue.

Thank you, this is reassuring.

 

[AgX]

I just heard news that Tetenal has laid off most of their employees.

For fairness:
There is so far one single source for the news on Tetenal to be liquidized (a commercial magazine).
Though the recent liquidity development strongly pointed into this direction anyway.